Surveillance, security and sporting mega events: toward a research agenda on the organisation of security networks

Abstract

Surveillance and security at sporting mega-events has been the subject of considerable recent scholarly attention. Sporting mega-events such as the Olympic Games and World Cup Football Finals have become occasions of almost unparalleled economic, political and social significance. In the lead up to the London 2012 Olympic Games, scholars have examined issues such as the ‘security legacies’ left by sporting mega-events, the infrastructures and technologies used in an attempt to secure these events, and the planning mentalities underpinning the staggering ‘security spectacle’ of sporting mega-events. This article deals with the subject of how surveillance and security practices at sporting mega-events are organised. It uses an emerging paradigm of ‘security networks’ to call attention to some of the important issues involving the entire ‘security assemblage’ that accompanies sporting mega-events. The article presents five levels of analysis – structural, cultural, policy, technological and relational – to examine these practices and present key areas for further research on sporting mega-events.

‘The more, the merrier?’ Euro 2020, transnational collaboration, opportunities and challenges

“…Assigned 'Euros' hosts are also expected to make: full use of all existing international agreements, recommendations and good practices relating to the organisation of international sports events in order to ensure the best possible cooperation between the host, participating, transit and neighbouring countries. (UEFA, 2013, Sector 6, p. 8) Subsequently, this merely reaffirms what existing literaturenow to be reviewedalready documents Klauser, 2011aKlauser, , 2011bWhelan, 2014). Namely, that contemporary SME's security operations require, and are based upon principles of transnational cooperation and the establishment of what has been conceptualized as security networks.…”

“…Aspects of SME security that have been examined include historical incidents of sports-related terrorism (Spaaij, 2016), event-specific security-management (Armstrong et al, 2017;Coaffee et al, 2011), and the mediation of security issues before and during SMEs (Atkinson & Young, 2012). More recently, some scholars have also visited contemporary security-related concepts such as security legacies (Giulianotti, 2013;Giulianotti & Klauser, 2010) and most relevant here, security networks Whelan, 2014Whelan, , 2015Whelan, , 2016. Often, the concept of networks is ambiguously employed in sociology and political science.…”

“…Security networks are now positioned as an important concept in the mega-event, security and surveillance scholarship (Whelan, 2014). These are networks devised to establish or strengthen already established ties and nodes between security agencies involved in the security governance at SMEs (ibid.).…”

“…Learning from past failuresand successeswhilst enacting and enhancing collaboration between security actors across borders has since become of high centrality to security and risk-management at contemporary SMEs and single sport events (i.e. Champions League games) (see inter alia Boyle & Haggerty, 2009;Spaaij, 2013;Taylor & Toohey, 2015;Tsoukala, 2009;Whelan, 2014). Now, SMEs and large-scale football matches represent platforms wherein links are (re)established between security agencies on a local, national and international level (Giulianotti, 2013).…”

“…In fact, it may carry challenges of a considerable nature. The coordination of security networks in routine operations (not SME related) is commonly regarded as a demanding task (Whelan, 2014(Whelan, , 2016Whelan & Molnar, 2019). However, as Whelan (2014) argues, coordination becomes increasingly tricky in an SME setting, where the security performance and deliveries are under the scrutiny of the watchful eye of the public.…”